“Why is your brother sending me inappropriate messages?”

I groaned as soon as the words left her mouth. Josh fucking Crawford strikes again. My brother’s ability to weasel his way into my life at the worst possible time was what legends were made of. Yes he was my little brother but he was also my best friend, my confidant, my annoyance, my brutal honesty, and my exasperation. Eden concentrated on her phone and tapped in a response wearing a smile on her face.

“So, what next?” she asked after placing the phone back in her bag and completely ignoring the look I was giving her. She stared back at me and I returned her gaze. Her brow shot up in question. “Ky?”

My eyes narrowed. “Are you honestly not going to tell me what Josh messaged you?”

Eden chuckled in response. “Apparently I am going to a movie with Josh tonight.”

“I’m coming too,” I confirmed before I could stop myself.

“I thought you’d say that.”

••••

The afternoon chill swept through the air and encased the park with winter delight. During the cab ride back to the island, Eden clicked through the photos she’d taken, showing me her favorite shots and talking in photography lingo that I had no clue about so I simply nodded as if I understood. I enjoyed hearing her talk with so much enthusiasm. She was unbelievably talented, yet anytime I told her, she would blush and tear her eyes away from me. It was devastatingly cute.

When we reached the Island, Eden was dropped off at the hotel and I was taken straight to my apartment. The day had panned out better than I expected, but I needed to get my emotions in check before I saw her again tonight. Holding her hand today had been too intimate. That simple touch crossed the line; it made me uneasy and fearful that I was stumbling into an abyss where I would no longer stay in control. Fuck, I had no clue what I was trying to achieve. I needed to create boundaries. I couldn’t fuck up like that again. My mind went crazy trying to come up with something that I could use. I knew she couldn’t say no but then again I needed to know when she was saying yes because she wanted to and not because she thought she had to. This whole idea was fucked up, and it was doing my head in already. Why the fuck couldn’t I have just let it be? Why couldn’t I have just faded into the scenery and simply been the guy from the office? Nope I had to go and do something like ask her to spend the month with me.

Idiot.

The idea of sitting on my couch, having a beer, and watching some of the game for a few hours sounded like the perfect plan. The moment I unlocked my door and entered my apartment, the sound of the television greeted me. What the hell? I dropped my keys on the glass table in the foyer and as I walked into my living room, I found Josh sitting on my couch, beer in hand and feet up on the coffee table.

“My cable is out so I’m using yours,” he stated, gesturing toward the television before looking back at me expectedly. “How’d your date go today?”

I ran my hand through my hair and groaned in frustration. Not even five seconds and he dives right in with questions about Eden.

“First, how the fuck did you get in here, and second, it wasn’t a date.”

“First, you gave me a key and second, you picked her up, it was a date,” he hit back.

I didn’t bother retaliating. I tore toward the kitchen and pulled out a beer, hoping that the cool amber would offer the much needed relief to my highly strung self. I chugged back half a bottle before moving to the living room and collapsing beside Josh who was still looking at me expectantly.

“It wasn’t a date,” I repeated with more determination in my voice. “By the way, I am coming to the movie tonight.”

“Of course you are.” He laughed, and we fell into watching the game without another word spoken about Eden or our so-called date.

••••

I couldn’t remember the last time I stepped foot in Garden City Cinema, yet the moment I hit the foyer I realized it could have easily been yesterday. The interior hadn’t changed at all, the foyer was still decorated with framed posters of classic movies and the life size cardboard cut-outs of the original Rat Pack and Marilyn Monroe stood on proud display beside the candy counter.

I heard Eden’s laughter before I saw her.

My eyes sifted through the mass of over-eager moviegoers until I found her. Eden stood beside Josh, so casually, so lightheartedly as she laughed at something he had said. I basked in the sight. It was a side of Eden that I was quickly realizing was rarely on display, and I couldn’t ignore the feeling of ease that shot through me. I shamelessly took a moment to take her completely in. As if she felt my eyes on her, she scoured through the crowd until our gaze connected. I felt my mouth curve into a smile, and my hand rose in an acknowledging wave.

I crossed the foyer and lifted my chin in greeting at Josh and leaned in to give Ashlyn a kiss on her cheek. I simply smiled at Eden. My ego soared as her eyes embarrassingly darted away from mine. Ashlyn grabbed hold of Eden’s hand and pulled her toward the ticket booth and my eyes followed their every step.

“They are picking the movie. God only knows what we are in for,” Josh huffed beside me.

“Good night for a chick flick?” I laughed in response.

“We should have brought damn beers.” He groaned and ran his hands through his hair.

“This was your idea.”

Twenty minutes later I was sitting beside Eden in the crowded cinema. We had barely said two words to each other since I arrived and now being in this close proximity I was overcome by the familiarity of her perfume. I slammed my eyes shut and my head fell back against the red velvet of the seat as I took a moment with my thoughts. The lights faded above and the four of us settled back in as the movie began. My eyes kept drifting to the side to take in Eden. She was transfixed on the movie playing before us, but I honestly couldn’t give a shit what was playing.

I shifted in my seat and leaned over until my mouth hovered over her ear. “You look great tonight.”

The light from the large screen allowed me to work out her face in the shadows of the cinema when she turned to face me. Her eyes gleamed at me and she pulled her bottom lip between her teeth as shyness invaded her.

“Thank you,” she whispered after she leaned into me and the moment her breath skidded over my ear I felt the swelling in my pants. “I like your shirt.”

I gave a tight smile and removed my eyes from her and turned back toward the movie. If anyone asked me what it was about, the answer would be the girl beside me because that was the only thing I was concentrating on. The moment she grabbed my forearm during a suspense scene, I thought it was pretty certain that I wouldn’t handle the full movie. Skin to skin contact was fucking dangerous. Her hand stayed on my bare arm, continuing to send a burning sensation through my already on edge body and every so often she would squeeze it just to remind me. I wasn’t actually sure she knew what she was doing.

Josh’s chuckle from beside me drew my attention, and I narrowed my eyes in on him.

“You look a bit tense there brother?” he taunted quietly.

I simply flipped him off.

The moment the credits rolled at the end of the movie, we all rose from our seats and walked back into the main foyer. Ashlyn and Eden started talking about how hot the lead actor was as Josh and I stood by.

“What are you up to tomorrow?” Josh asked.

“I’ve got some work to do so will either head into the office or just work at home.”

“You seeing Eden?”

“Not sure,” I replied honestly. “She might be working or something.”

He nodded and gave me a knowing look.

Ashlyn and Eden eventually stopped swooning, her words not mine, and they both turned to Josh and me expectedly.

“I could completely destroy a piece of pie right now,” Ashlyn announced and excitedly looked between us.